Darkroom
To regulate this FSU camera eBay binging, I decided that it was time to set up a darkroom. During my first GAS attack years ago I picked up this Bogen X35A enlarger with a 39mm lens mount for a song. It is small and portable and could be the starting point for developing and printing B&W pictures. Being an apartment dweller the only place that I could feasibly turn into a light proof room is my bathroom. I bought some room darking back lining fabric, a few rolls of adhesive backed velcro and went to town with a staple gun to cover a window. I also ordered the Beseler 6757 Printmaker darkroom kit and some photo chemicals.
After successfully developing and printing a couple of rolls of Plus X and HP5+ I started noticing that as the print increases in size, the quality deteriorates. Thinking that the quality of glass in a camera is what makes a picutre, I posted a query on Rangefinder Forum about enlarger lenses and my gut feel was confirmed that the stock Voss lens was inadequate. First I found a nice 6 element, 4 group Nikon EL-Nikkor 50/2.8 from eBay which significantly improved the sharpness and contrast of my prints. This led to another GAS attack for darkroom equipment and supplies. Prices for wet darkroom equipment are at an all time low and all the stuff below was acquired for the what a high quality enlarger lens used to sell brand new.
Equipment and supplies:
Enlarger - Durst M301, very compact and can only do 35mm which is fine with me since all my cameras use this format, easy to store and lug to the bathroom for printing sessions
Lenses - Nikkor EL 50/2.8, Schneider Componon S 50/2.8 and Rodenstock Rodagon 50/2.8. The Rodagon is my current favorite it has the sharpness and contrast of the Nikkor with an added "glow" that people find endearing in Leitz and Zeiss glass. For some reason I have not been impressed with the highly rated Componon, it is not as sharp and a bit flat looking compared to the other two, maybe I got a dud even if it looks clean.
Timer and accessories - Gralab 450 digital timer, Paterson focuser, Saunders four blade 11" x 14" easel, 11" x 14" Yankee developing trays, graduates and etc. I also got an Ilford exposure meter which I cannot figure out how to use properly so for the moment I still do test strips
Paper - Ilford Multigrade IV RC, pearl for prints and glossy for proof prints using a home made proof printer. Paper developer is Ilford MG, Kodak stop bath and Kodafix 1:7
I do all my film developing in the kitchen and use Paterson plastic reels and tanks loading film in changing bag. Patterson reels are a major step up from the Asian copies, much easier to load and less chance of messing up. To make sure the chemicals are pretty stable, I use a Paterson 12" thermometer.
Film and chemicals:
For my first 15 rolls, I was using D-76 [stock and then 1+1] developer, water rinse as stop bath and Kodafix 1+4. Since I find myself spending so much on film I decided to bulk load and have collected 4 bulk loaders [ 2 x Lloyd's, 1 AP and a Western] loaded with AGFA APX100, Ilford Delta 100, HP5+ and most recently Tri-X. So far I really like the APX100/Diafine combo shot at EI200. Ilford DDX is quite expensive but I see lesser grain in DDX 1+4 on Delta 100 negatives over 1+1 D-76. Diafine also makes nice negatives from HP5+ if shot at EI800, otherwise at ISO400 I soup it in D76 or DDX. I haven't shot the Tri-X much but was quite impressed with Diafine at EI1200. There is something about the classic Tri-X "look" that is alluring and it is there whether shot at rated ISO or pushed. I have a bottle of HC110 which I used once on APX100 and was not impressed with the pixelated grain result. Maybe I didn't do it right but will experiment with it more at some point.
Digital:
Recently I acquired a cheap Canoscan 8400 flat bed for scanning 35mm negatives mainly for uploading and previewing my latest effort.
Darkroom Links: